Served as home for M-D and M-D-R High Schools, now home to Fieldcrest High School

MDR Inscription on Building

Cornerstone from building

The History of Minonk-Dana-Rutland High School

The towns of Minonk (population 2,168), Dana (population 171), and
Rutland (population 354) all at one time had their own high schools. You can read about each town and its
individual high school on this site as each high school has its own page.

It was Dana who first was annexed to the Minonk school system. This occurred in 1949 when Dana, like many small schools
of that particular year, was enticed to consolidate by the State of Illinois. This consolidation was called the Minonk-Dana
school district. This joint effort lasted for six years when it was joined by Rutland in 1955. The school district was renamed the Minonk-Dana-Rutland school district, enjoying 37 years
of education until 1992, when the nearby towns of Toluca and Wenona looked to consolidate their schools with Minonk-Dana-Rutland. The effort was successful and was renamed
the Fieldcrest School District.

The Fieldcrest High School building is located in Minonk and was home to Minonk, Minonk-Dana, and
Minonk-Dana-Rutland High Schools before Fieldcrest came into existance. An excellent web site to read
about the schools and towns of Minonk-Dana-Rutland is available at the following two addresses: http://www.fieldcrest.k12.il.us/alumni/index.htm, and http://www.minonktalk.com.

Minonk-Dana-Rutland High School Quick Facts

Year Minonk-Dana HS formed: 1949

Year Minonk-Dana-Rutland HS formed: 1955

Year Fieldcrest HS formed: 1992

M-D & M-D-R School nickname:
the "Mohawks"

School colors:
Black & Orange

School Fight Song:
"Cheer, Cheer for MDR High"

(Notre Dame University Fight Song Tune)

(Click "play" button below, slide bar half way across bottom)

Cheer
Cheer for MDR High

Sound out your cheers clear up to the sky

Raise your voices, let them trill

MDR High sure fills the bill...lah, lah, lah

We've got a team that's goin' to town

Long
as we cheer they won't let us down.

Fight team, fight, and show them that we're

Onward to victory!

Cha-he-cha-ha-cha-ha-ha-ha

MDR
Mohwarks

Rah Rah Rah!!

(Thank you to Lois Freberg)

ATHLETICS

Both the boys and girls teams at Minonk-Dana-Rutland enjoyed many successful seasons. The boys brought home IHSA
hardware (www.ihsa.org) in the sports of football, basketball, track, and cross-country, while the Lady Mohawks won trophies in basketball, volleyball,
as well as competing in softball and track. The boys competed in baseball also. The school also
showed some good sportsmanship in the 1957-58 school year, winning the Mid State Conference Sportsmanship Award. If
you have additional information regarding the M-D-R HS athletic program, you can contact us via e-mail at eganann@sbcglobal.net.

FOOTBALL

The Minonk-Dana-Rutland Mohawks have a long history of hard hitting, successful football teams. The Mohawks played
in the IHSA playoffs a total of four times. There were also some very successful Mid State Conference teams as well.
Their best records are listed below:

As Minonk-Dana

1948-49 2- 6- 1
Coach Elmer Hampton

1949-50 5- 5 Conference
3rd Place Finish (4-2) Coach Elmer Hampton

1950-51 3- 4- 1
Coach Jack Pierce

1951-52 3- 5
Coach Jack Pierce

1952-53 2- 7
Coach Jack Pierce

1953-54 3- 6
Coach Leo Huffman

1954-55 6- 2- 1 Conference 3rd Place Finish (4-2-1) Coach Leo
Hoffman

As Minonk-Dana-Rutland

1955-56 1- 7- 1
Coach Virgil Staples

1956-57 2- 4- 1
Coach Virgil Staples

1957-58 2- 6
Coach Virgil Staples

1958-59 3- 5
Coach Jim Lee

1959-60 0- 7- 1
Coach Jim Lee

1960-61 3- 4
Coach Jim Lee

1961-62 4- 5
Coach Jim Lee

1962-63 8- 0- 1 Conference Champions (5-0-1)
Coach Jim Lee

1963-64 5- 1- 3 Conference Champions (4-0-2)
Coach John Mowery

1964-65 4- 5 Coach
John Mowery

1965-66 6- 3 Conference
Champions (6-1) Coach John Mowery

1966-67 7- 2 Conference Champions (7-0)Coach John Mowery

1967-68 7- 1- 1 Conference Champions (7-0)
Coach John Mowery

1968-69 6 - 3
Coaches Hesselberth, Jochums, & Mohar

1969-70 6- 2- 1 Conference Champions (6-0-1)Coach
Jack Marcoline

1970-71 2- 6- 1
Coach Jack Marcoline

1971-72 5- 4
Coach Jack Marcoline

1972-73 5- 4 Coach
Jack Marcoline

1973-74 0- 8- 1
Coach Mike Cazalet

1974-75 2- 7
Coach Mike Cazalet

1975-76 4- 5
Coach Mike Cazalet

1976-77 5- 4
Coach Mike Cazalet

1977-788- 2IHSA Class 1A
Playoff Qualifier Coach Mike Cazalet

Conference
Co-Champs (6-1)

Sweet 16 Finalist

1st Rd Lost to Argenta-Oreana 14-3

Argenta
lost in Quarter-final round

1978-799- 1IHSA Class
1A Playoff Qualifier Coach Mike Cazalet

Conference
Champions (7-0)

Undefeated
Regular Season!

Sweet 16 Finalist

Lost
to Stronghurst Southern 25-22 (O/T)

Southern lost in semi-final round

1979-80 6- 3
Coach Pat Cooper

1980-81 5- 4
Coach Pat Cooper

1981-82 7- 2
Coach Jim Innis

1982-83 4- 5
Coach Jim Innis

1983-848- 2IHSA Class
1A Playoff Qualifier Coach Jim Innis

Conference Co-Champs (6-1)

Sweet 16 Finalist

Lost to Bradford 23-14

Bradford lost in Quarter-final round

1984-85 6- 3
Coach Jim Innis

1985-86 1- 8
Coach Marty Miller

1986-87 3- 6
Coach Bill Siefert

1987-88 4- 5
Coach Bill Siefert

1988-89 0- 9
Coach Bill Siefert

1989-90 3- 6
Coach Bill Seifert

1990-91 3- 6
Coach Bill Seifert

1991-92
6- 4)IHSA Class 1A Playoff Qualifier
Coach Bill Siefert

Top 32 Teams in Class 1A

1st Rd Lost to Deer Creek-Mackinaw 16-8

DC-M
lost in Sweet 16 round.

A couple of M-D-R receivers made their mark as being two of the best at their position during their playing years. Glen
Klendworth set a school record in 1978 with 15 receiving touchdowns that season. Another player, Jeff Meyer, set a school
record with 13 receptions in a game against Dee-Mack in 1975.

GIRLS VOLLEYBALL

The M-D-R Lady Mohawk netters were not to be outdone. The girls enjoyed many great seasons winning five Regional
titles and two Sectional titles which qualified them for the State's Class 1A Sweet 16!This
occurred during back to back seasons! The best of the Minonk-Dana-Rutland volleyball seasons are listed below.

1979-80 9- 9
Coach Carol McCullen

1983-84 16- 6 Conference Co-Champs
Coach Judy Maddux

1984-85 18- 5 Team Placed 2nd in Conf.
Coach Jaynet Smith

1985-8623- 6Regional/Sectional ChampsCoach Jaynet Smith

IHSA Class A Sweet 16!

Mid State Conf. Champs (7-0)

1986-8725- 4Regional/Sectional ChampsCoach Jaynet Smith

IHSA Class A Sweet 16!!

Conference Champions (7-0)

1987-88 17- 7- 2 Conference Champs (7-0)Coach Jaynet Smith

1988-89 19-14 Regional Champs
Coach unknown

Conference Co-Champs (6-1)

1990-91 23- 7 Regional Champs Coach
unknown

Conference Co-Champs (12-2)

1991-92 26- 6 Regional Champs Coach
unknown

Conference 2nd Place (12-2)

Mid State Conference Overall Record as MDRHS:

68 - 30 .694 Winning %

GREAT JOB LADY MOHAWKS!

BOYS BASKETBALL

The Minonk-Dana boys brought home one Regional title. One Regional title was also won by the Minonk-Dana-Rutland
boys basketball team. Those years (record and coach's names unavailable) and two other good M-D-R basketball
season are listed below.

As Minonk Dana

1949-50 17 - 12 Wenona Regional Runner-up!
Coach's name needed

1st RdBeat Granville Hopkins 53-47

Semi-final Beat Henry 54-50

Title
game lost to Wenona 53-46

1950-5125 - 4Wenona Regional Champions!Coach's name needed

2nd Place in Mid State Conference (10-2)

Wenona
Regional Scores

1st Rd Beat Cornell 63-41

Semi-final Beat Henry 51-49

Title
game Toluca 66-38

Ottawa Sectional Tourney

Semi-final lost to DePue 59-53

DePue lost in title game

1951-52 16 - 12 Granville Regional Tourney
Coach name needed

1st Rd Beat Toluca 62-30

Semi-final
lost to Henry 47-44

Henry lost in title game

1952-53 Henry Regional Tourney
Coach's name & reocrd needed

1st Rd Beat Wenona 59-55

Semi-final lost to Varna Mid-County 61-46

Mid-County won Regional title

1953-54 Granville Regional Tourney
Coach's name & record needed

1st Rd lost to Henry 54-46

Henry lost in semi-final

1954-55 Henry Regional Tourney
Coach's name & record needed

1st Rd lost to Tonica 78-57

Tonica won Regional title

1955-56 Granville Regional Tourney
Coach's name & record needed

1st Rd Beat Streator Woodland 76-50

Semi-final
lost to Mid-County 59-50

Mid-County won Regional title

As Minonk-Dana-Rutland

In the fall of 1956 Rutland HS joind the Minonk-Dana School District to form the Minonk-Dana-Rutland School District.

*Final Season as M-D-R HS. The school became known as Minonk Fieldcrest in the Fall of 1992.

GIRLS BASKETBALL

The Minonk-Dana-Rutland Lady Mohawks faired well in basketball too. Four Regional titles and many good records were accomplished
in the 1980s. Coach Judy McNamara led the M-D-R girls to some of their best seasons in school history.

1974-75 1- 4 1st Season
Coach's name unavailable

1978-79 11- 5 Regional Champions
Coach Donna Blair

1979-80 19- 2 Conference Champs (10-0)
Coach Donna Blair

1980-81 22- 2 Regional Champions
Coach Judy McNamara

Conference
Champs (12-0)

1981-82 17- 6 (good record)
Coach Judy McNamara

1983-84 16- 7 (good record)
Coach Judy McNamara

1984-85 14- 7 Regional Champions
Coach Judy McNamara

1985-86 22- 4 Regional Champions
Coach Judy McNamara

Conference Co-Champs (13-1)

1991-92 19- 6 Conference Champs (11-1)

3-Time All-Conference Player:

*Darla Reese - 1984, '85, '86

MDR Conference Record Overall:

116 - 42 .716 Winning % !!

BOYS BASEBALL

The M-D and M-D-R boys had some real nice seasons in baseball as well. There were some excellent successes in the
conference venue.

As Minonk-Dana

1949-50 5- 3 Conference 2nd Place (4-1)

1954-55 7- 2 Conference Co-Champs (5-1) Coach
Leo Huffman

1955-56 4- 2 Conference 2nd Place (4-2)

As Minonk-Dana-Rutland

1956-57 5- 0 Conference Champs (5-0)
Coach Virgil Staples

1960-61 5- 5 Conference Champs (5-1)
Coach George Zarcoff

1961-62 5- 1 Conference Champs (5-1)
Coach Jim Brown

1972-73 10- 3 Conference Tourney 2nd Place
Coach unknown

3-Time All-Conference Player:

*Chad Cusac - 1988, '89, '90

BOYS TRACK & FIELD

Two Minonk-Dana-Rutland boys won medals at the IHSA State Track Meet. Their accomplishments are listed below. Also
listed are the better conference finshes for the MDR Mohawk thinclads.

As Minonk-Dana

1952-53 Team Finished 3rd in Conference Meet

1953-54 Team Finished 3rd in Conference Meet

1954-55 Team Finished 3rd in Conference Meet

As Minonk-Dana-Rutland

1961-62 Team Finished 2nd at Conference Meet

1962-63 Team Won Conference Championship
Coach Jim Lee

1963-64 Team Finished 2nd at Conference Meet

1964-65 Team Finished 2nd at Conference Meet

1976-77 John Riley 2
Mile Run 5th Place at State Finals

1977-78 Team Finished 2nd at Conference Meet

1978-79 Glen Klendworth Long Jump 7th Place at State Finals

3-Time Conference Champion:

*Rick Hakes - Pole Vault - 1975, '76, and "77.

GIRLS SOFTBALL

Judy McNamara headed up the girls softball program at Minonk-Dana-Rutland and some real nice seasons. in
fact, she has continued her career at Minonk Fieldcrest and has built an excellent softball program over the years. The
best seasons enjoyed by the Minonk-Dana-Rutland softball teams are listed below.

1982-83 8- 7
Coach Judy McNamara

1984-85 7- 8 Conference Champs (4-0) Coach Judy McNamara

1987-88 12- 8 Conference 3rd Place (6-4) Coach Judy McNamara

1989-90 12-12 Conference 3rd Place (8-3) Coach Judy McNamara

1990-91 15- 9 Conference 3rd Place (7-5) Coach Judy McNamara

BOYS CROSS-COUNTRY

The Minonk-Dana-Rutland Mohawks had one great year in Cross-Country. They won their District and Sectional
and eventually placed 8th in the Class A Meet!! One individual placed in the top 10 that year. This magical
season is listed below.

1976-77 District/Sectional Champions

Team Placed
8th in the State Meet

1976-77 Meet Results

1.) Lebanon
- 96

2.) Winnebago
- 139

3.) Farmington
- 153

4.) Plano
- 157

5.) Aurora Marmion - 212

6.) Fairfield
- 223

7.) Elmwood
- 231

8.) Minonk-Dana-Rutland - 235

9.) St. Anne -
236

10.)
Chatham/Glenwood - 255

Individual Medalist

1976-77 John Riley 7th Place

EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

Athletics were not the only ticket to success at Minonk-Dana-Rutland High School. The kids were involved in several other
activites. Including in these activities were highly successful scholastic bowl and music programs. In fact, the Band
of the 1979 and 1981 school years won the IHSA Class "C" State Championships!!

SCHOLASTIC BOWL

Minonk-Dana-Rutland High School also had some excellent academic success. The Scholastic Bowl team
won three Mid State Conference titles!

1980 Scholastic Bowl Conference Champs

1982 Scholastic Bowl Conference Champs

1983 Scholastic Bowl Conference Champs

BAND

The Minonk-Dana-Rutland High School Band was a great one indeed, winning the IHSA Class "C" State Music Championship
with 600 points each in 1979 and 1981.

1979IHSA CLASS "C" STATE CHAMPIONS!!Director's name needed

1981IHSA CLASS "C" STATE CHAMPIONS!!Director's name needed

NOTEABLE ALUMNI / PEOPLE

*Duane "Moose" Woltzen (Class of 1951) - Player on the 1951 Regional basketball champs, coached college
ball at Lakeland College in Wisconsin. Minonk School gymnasium named in his honor.

*Coach Jack Murphy - Basketball coach of the late 1950s, member of Illinois High School Basketball Coaches Association Hall
of Fame for accumulating over 500 victories at various schools.

*Coach John Mowery - head football coach from 1963 - 1968. Overall record 25-6-4 with FOUR
conference championships. Record is needed for the 1964 team.

*Coach John Marcoline - From Dick Shelby: "Coach Marcoline would have a trick
play for each game and used it only if we had to. I do not remember one not being successful whenever we would use them.
He was a very good and only because of him did we win the conference (1969). We were not the most talented team but we
had the best coach!"

*Coach Tim Meiss - Basketball coach at M-D-R in the late 1970s and early 1980s, has a career record
of 451-271 though the 2004-05 season and currently coaches at Eureka High School.

Need More Information

We are seeking more information on Minonk-Dana-Rutland High School and its many great accomplishments. We are
especially are seeking a photo of some of the great teams in school history. You can e-mail these items to
us at ihsgdwebsite@comcast.net. You may also write to us at: